‘Cricket bribes’ inspires Bollywood film

Cricket and Bollywood are almost inseparable. Ekta Kapoor’s next film, Shor In The City highlights one of Indian cricket’s darkest chapters – bribery charges. Prashant Singh tells more.

Cricket and Bollywood are almost inseparable. Ekta Kapoor’s next film, Shor In The City highlights one of Indian cricket’s darkest chapters – bribery charges. A sub-story has ben inspired by a 2003 incidentthat grabbed headlines when cricketer Abhijit Kale was accused of offering bribes to national selectors Kiran More and Pranab Roy.

South actor Sundeep Kishan who plays a cricketer confirms the news, “Yes, that’s why I’ve been informed but I didn’t let it influence me much though I did research Mr Kale’s story.”

In 2003, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI’s joint secretary at the time, accused Kale of attempting to bribe the national selectors.

Although Kale vehemently denied the charges, he was later suspended from playing international and domestic cricket.

Raj Nidimoru, co-director of the film, says, “We have been inspired by incidents that we came across in the newspapers and that includes all the major cricket controversies since 1999- match-fixing, betting and bribery. But everything has been fictionalised.”

Sundeep plays an aspiring cricketer struggling to make it to the junior cricket team. He finally realises the only way in is to bribe the selectors.

He informs, “Saawan’s story is that of a talented and budding cricketer who attempts to bend the rules to get his way.”

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